Pause

Listen

When the Lord changed Zion’s circumstances for the better, it was like we had been dreaming. Our mouths were suddenly filled with laughter; our tongues were filled with joyful shouts. It was even said, at that time, among the nations, “The Lord has done great things for them!” Yes, the Lord has done great things for us, and we are overjoyed.

Think

It was the middle of summer camp, and I, the camp counselor, was done! I had bug bites. I was exhausted. Campers were crying about being homesick or whining about the camp food or complaining about having Bible study. “Is God really here?” I asked myself.

We were playing a tag game outside, and I had stopped, looked down to catch my breath, and thought, “God, why am I here?” At that moment, one of my whiny campers said, “Hey, Jeremy. Look up!” I didn’t understand at first, but when I looked up…WHOA!

That day, the sky was covered with clouds, except in the middle of camp. There was this perfect circle where you could see the sky and the sunbeams shining on the lake. My camper said, “Looks like God opened up the clouds to take a look at us.”

Though I was supposed to be the leader, that day, this amazing (whiny) camper reminded me: the Lord has done great things for us! Reach out and grab hold of such moments.

Go

God’s hand is always extended towards us. Reach out and grab it! And while you’re at it, since you’ve got another hand too, reach it out towards others, showing them the same love that God has for you!

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writer

Jeremy Wilhelmi

Jeremy Wilhelmi is the Associate Pastor for Youth at the Salisbury Presbyterian Church in Midlothian, Virginia. He is currently studying how certain common words in youth ministry such as “study,” “fun,” and “program” (to name a few) can have a negative impact on our ministry and is seeking to find the better words to describe what we do in youth ministry in a more faithful way. In over 10 years of youth ministry Jeremy has yet to grow tired of pizza.